Publishing 36 science books for children with 95% local illustration.

In 2015, the science books available to young Malaysian children had two clear gaps.

The first was language. Most age-appropriate science books in print were in English, which meant children from Bahasa Melayu, Mandarin, and Tamil-speaking homes had fewer options.

The second was visual culture. Many illustrations were imported from the US, UK, or stock libraries. Children were learning about the natural world through faces, places, and illustration styles that did not feel familiar to them.

WhyteHouse had been using children's books in classroom practice for years. We decided to create what we could not find: a Malaysian children's science library, written for young readers, illustrated by local artists, and shared widely enough for schools and communities beyond WhyteHouse to use.

The Young Scientist Series includes 36 titles across the natural and physical sciences.

Each book was written at a level suitable for preschool and early primary children. The content was built around things children could observe in everyday life, rather than abstract textbook explanations.

The illustration commitment mattered. Ninety-five percent of the artwork was commissioned from Malaysian illustrators, keeping both the creative work and budget within the local creative economy.

In June 2018, 20 of the 36 titles were launched in a single day, earning the Malaysia Book of Records for Most Number of Science Books for Children Published in a Single Event. The launch was officiated by the Governor of Penang.

10,000 copies of the Young Scientist Series were distributed to Malaysia's National Library and state libraries.

This made the books accessible to children, families, schools, and communities beyond WhyteHouse. The series became one of the clearest examples of WhyteHouse's belief that learning resources should not stay inside one school. They should travel into libraries, homes, and public spaces where more children can encounter science in a familiar and meaningful way.

For educators outside the WhyteHouse network, the Young Scientist Series also offers a practical example of how early science can be introduced through language, illustration, observation, and curiosity.